The Basics Characteristics of Sit and Go Poker Tournaments

Those of you who’ve seen the movie “Iron Man” may remember Tony Stark’s line:  “Sometimes you need to learn to run before you can walk.”  While that statement certainly has a ring of truth to it, it never hurts to start with the basics, especially for those of you who may not be familiar with the basic characteristics of sit and go poker (henceforth referred to as SnG) tournaments.

What exactly is “Sit and Go”?

In a nutshell, an SnG is a small-scale poker tournament involving one or two tables.  The buy-in rate for SnGs usually starts at $5 + $1 and proceeds from there.

In case you’re wondering what a buy-in is and why there are two dollar amounts featured, allow me to explain.  The term “buy-in” actually refers to the number of chips that poker players must purchase to participate in the SnG.

The double figure amount actually determines the price structure of the game.  The first dollar amount refers to the amount of cash that the player is contributing to the prize pool.  The second dollar amount refers to the rake, or the amount of money that goes to the cardroom that operates the poker game itself.

SnG Mechanics

The game begins when each poker player receives a certain amount of chips.  Forced bets known as blinds go up after a certain number of hands are played.  Players may opt to call (match the bet), raise (to increase the amount of the bet) or to fold (to get rid of one’s poker hand and forget about the current pot, which is the amount of money that players bet on during the game).

Nine to ten players are usually involved in a poker game of SnG.  It’s fairly common for poker players to change their tactics depending on the blind amounts at stake at varying points in the tournament.

The Advantages of Playing SnGs

Poker players who prefer games that aren’t too aggressive will probably like SnGs.  The return of investment can be decent, despite the softer nature of the game.  It’s definitely a good way for beginner players to get their feet wet in the world of poker as the amounts of money wagered are smaller.  Even more experienced poker players who get burnt out from the more aggressive games may choose to go for SnGs now and then in order to relax and recharge.

If you haven’t given sit and go a try, perhaps now is the time to do so.